The course of European history was fundamentally altered when the Normans invaded and conquered England in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings. For the history of art, too, this clash of cultures had significant repercussions: for centuries English art bore a French
imprint, just as French art continuously adapted to an evolving Anglo-Norman aesthetic.
The aim of this course was to assess the quality and nature of this cultural clash. How profound was the "conquest" on art-historical terms? What was characteristic of "Norman" and "Anglo-Saxon" art prior to 1066 and how did the invasion alter the course of these two
cultural traditions? How can we—today, in 2007—assess the consequences of an "art-historical" conquest? And what, in the end, did "conquest," "colonialism," or "national identity" mean to the Normans and Saxons in the eleventh and early twelfth centuries?
In order to explore these questions, this class gained first-hand knowledge of some of the most significant art-historical monuments of the period during an 8-day trip to France and England. This site features some of the highlights.